Duterte to attend Senate budget debates

Metro Manila, Philippines – Vice President Sara Duterte said on Wednesday she will attend the Senate plenary debates on her proposed 2025 budget after snubbing the House of Representatives.

In a press briefing on Sept. 25, Duterte said her office is waiting for the schedule from the Senate.

Duterte skipped the second House committee hearing on Sept. 10 and the plenary deliberations on Sept. 23 to 25, saying she is leaving it up to the House to decide on the budget.

On Wednesday, the House of Representatives ended debates on the budget of the Office of the Vice President (OVP). It was cut by nearly ₱1.3 billion - from ₱2.04 billion to just ₱733.2 million.

READ: House ends plenary debate on 2025 OVP budget proposal

Duterte said she is not hopeful that the cuts will be restored in the Senate.

“Dahil nga sinabi ko na dalawang tao lang ang nag-dedecide diyan. Congressman Zaldy Co and Congressman Romualdez. Sinabi ko rin iyong proof ko kung bakit sila lang dalawa. And may paper trail iyong sinabi ko against them,” she said.

[Translation: I already said this before that only two people decide on the budget: Congressman Zaldy Co and House Speaker Martin Romualdez. I also shared my “proof” about the two of them. And these claims have a paper trail.]

The vice president earlier accused the two House leaders of controlling the budget - citing supposed insertions into the budget of the Department of Education, which she previously handled. Co denied manipulating public funds.

RELATED: House budget panel head denies fund manipulation

Duterte said she will continue working on whatever is left to her office.

“Sa ₱700 million, we will see kung ano iyong naiwan…but definitely tuloy ang trabaho anuman ang budget ng OVP,” she said.

[We’ll see what is left with the ₱700 million. But definitely, our work continues whatever budget is left to OVP.]